Washing machine



May 6 1924. 1

F. J. HENRY ,'492726 WASHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 29. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Maly 6 1924. 1,492,726

f" F. J. HENRY WASHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 29. 1923 zv sheets-sheer 2 \Q b n l Q gvwantoc Patented May 6, 1924..

ST TES Leann ATENT OFFQ WASHING- MACHINE.

Appiication sied December 29, 192s. seriaiiro. 683,479.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, FRED JAMES HENRY, citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of-Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Washing Machines, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in washing machines, and has particular reference to washing machines of the motor driven clothes pounder type.

Theprimary object of the invention is to provideV a washing machine of the above kind'which is'extremely simple and durable in construction and which will be effective in its washing operation. f

Still another object of the invention is to provide a washing machine of the above character which may be manufactured and7 marketed at a low cost and which embodies simplefand durable parts, so constructed and co-related as to produce a machine which will require comparatively little attention andwhich may be operated for a long continued period without becoming out of order.` f n A still further object of the invention yis to provide an effective washing machine which will be placedy into use without the requirementy of special skill and whichy is of generally improved construction.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a washing machine wherein vertically reciprocable slide rods are provided in the clothes receptacle and operatively connectedin a novel and improved manner to a driving motor disposed beneath said receptacle, the slide rod' having clothes pounding vacuum cups upon their upper ends.

With the above general objects in view, and-others that'will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullyvdescribe'd, shown in the accompanying` drawings and claimed.

In the drawings, wher-ein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a front elevational lviewof a washing machine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2' is an end elevational view of a device shown in Figure 1, partly broken away and in section.

Figure 3` is4 a horizontal sectional view taken substantiallyvuponr the line 3 3 of frame composed of four corner posts 5, thatV are rigidly connected by means of suitable superimposed setsof horizontalbraces as at- 6, 7 andl 8`resp`ectively, the braces 6 be ing. provided adjacenttlie lowerends of the corner posts 5 andsupporting a platform 9 through thelcorners 4ofwhichl the uprights pass,r and the braces7 connectingrv the corner posts 5 at a point adjacent to and above the platform` 9 andf supporting a second platform 10 thru thel corners of'which the corner-posts 5 alsoextend. The upper brace rods Sand a rectangular frame 11 rigidly connect'the corner posts 5 at/the upper ends of the latter,` and` disposed upon theplatform 10V within thespac-ev andI bounded by the corner posts is a closed receptacle 12 that is of la height to extend from the platform 10 to the'top of the corner posts 5 and which has its corners of rounded form so as to guard vagainst undue depositV of dirt in the corners. and, to permit or facilitate readyv cleaning thereof. Any suitable form of removable'or other' cover 13 is provided forthe tonof the receptacle 12.y

Disposed within and projecting'y upwardly from the bottom of `the receptacle 12 vadj acent the ends thereof are a pair of tubular standards 14:, and projecting upwardlythrough the bottom of the receptacle 12 vand through the standards 1,4, and projecting upwardlyA thru the bottom of the receptacle 12 and through the standards 14 are vertical slide rods-15 that are provided upon their upper ends with cross bars 16 of arched or curved form andupon the opposite ends: of which are suitably secured clothes pounding vacuum cups 17. The upper ends of the standards 14 are disposed slightly above the propery water level of the receptacle'12v so that water will not leak fromv the receptacle and the upwardly curved form of the cross bars 16 insure lowering` of the clothes pounding vacuum cups 17 beyond the upper ends of the standards 14 for effective action upon the clothes.

Journalled upon bearing brackets 18 that are Xed upon the lower platform 9 centrally of the latter is a horizontal transversely extending shaft 19 upon the ends of which are secured crank members 20, preferably in the form of discs having crank pins 21 eccentrically fixed thereto. The lower ends of each of the slide rods 15 project below the platform 10 and is formed with a horizontal cross piece 22 having an elongated slot 23. Each of the crank pins 21 works within a slot 23, so that when the shaft 19 is rotated, vertical reciprocation of the slide rods 15 is effected, and the pins 21 are so related as to insure upward movement of one of the slide rods 15 while the other of said rods is moved downwardly, thereby effecting alternate operation of the clothes pounding vacuum cups upon the clothes at the opposite ends of the receptacle 12.

A jack shaft 24 is suitably journalled rearwardly of the shaft 19 and parallel with the latter and secured upon one end portion of the shaft 24 is a pulley 25 that is operatively connected to the shaft 19 thru the medium of a belt 26 that passes around the pulley 25 and also around a relatively larger pulley 27 secured upon the shaft 19 intermediate its ends. Upon the other end portion of the shaft 24 are mounted fast and loose pulleys 28 and 29 respectively.

Suitably mounted upon the platform 9 in front of the shaft 19 is a motor 30 whose armature shaft 31 extends parallel with the shaft 19 andhas fast and loose pulleys 32 and 33 respectively, mounted thereon, the pulleys 32 being aligned with the pulley 28 and the pulley 33 being aligned with the pulley 29. A belt 34 is employed for simultaneously engaging the pulleys 32 and 28 so as to transmit motion from the motor shaft 21 of the shaft 24 or to be shifted to the loose pulleys 33 and 29 when it is desired to render the washing machine inoperative. The shifting of the belt 34 may be effected by any suitable means such as a belt shifting lever 35 suitably mounted adjacent the front of the machine and operatively associated with said belt 34 as shown more clearly in Figure 3.

At one end of the machine and adjacent a-.corner of the machine frame, the lower platform 9 is provided with an extension as at 36, to which is secured a suitable gear casing 37 fixed to the lower end of a vertical post 38, in which is journalled a shaft as indicated by dotted lines at 39 in Figure 1, and the lower end of this shaft 39 is open atively connected to the end of the armature shaft 31 by means of a bevelled gearing generally indicated at 40 that is arranged within the gear casing 37. The post 38 projects through extensions formed upon the upper platform 10 and the frame 11 and is connected at its upper end to a second gear casing 21 supported by the extension of the frame 11. A conventional form of wringer comprising inter-geared rollers 42 is disposed at the ends` of the machine against the casing 41 and the shaft of one of the wringer rollers 42 is connected to the upper end of the shaft 39 by means of a bevelled gearing as at 43 arranged within the gear casing 41. Any suitable means controllable by the lever 44 may be provided for connecting or disconnecting the shaft of a driven roller of the wringer from the shaft 39 so as to render the wringer operative or inoperative at will. It is to be understood that the wringer may be of that type mounted to swing horizontally about the axis of the post 38 as is well known in the art. Suitably mounted beneath the upper platform 10 is means for facilitating application of heat to the bottom of the receptacle 12 and this means may embody a gas burner 45 having. an inlet pipe 46 adapted to be coupled to a suitable gas supply pipe and including a control valve 47.

In operation, the motor 30 is started so as to cause rotation of the shaft 31 and when the belt 34 is disposed upon the pulleys 28 and 32, rotation of the shaft 31 is communicated to shaft 19 through shaft 24 and the pulleys 25 and 27 and belt 26. This imparts rotary motion to the crank members 20 and by reason of the engagement of the pins 21 thereof in the elongated slot 23 of the cross pieces 22 provided on the lower ends of the vertical slide rods 15 the latter are vertically reciprocated so as to cause a pounding and suction action on the clothes through the medium of the vacuum cup 17, the pounding operation alternating at opposite ends of the receptacle 12. By swinging the lever 35 the belt 34 may be shifted to the pulleys 29 and 32 for rendering the machine temporarily inoperative while the motor 30 continues to operate. By swinging the lever 44, the motion which is constantly communicated to the shaft 39 from the motor shaft 31 may be transmitted to the rollers of the wringer for rendering the latter operative.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction and operation as well as the advantages of the present invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

lWhat 1 claim as new is:

A washing machine comprising a receptacle, tubular members mounted upon the bottom thereof and in the vicinity of the ends thereof. rods mounted for vertical sliding movement in the tubular'members, cross bars mounted at the upper ends of the rods in the receptacle the said liquid is swashed back and forth from one end of the receptacle to the other and whereby the Said liquid may pass transversel7 through the texture of the fabric which are being washed.

In testimony whereof I ailiX my signature.

FRED JAMES HENRY. 

